Our Eye Doctors

Optometrist Near You in Tallahassee, FL

Eye care professionals specialize in understanding how the human eye really works, as well as diseases and conditions that affect your vision – many of which do not have obvious symptoms. Eye doctors know how age and risk factors affect vision over time for young and old, and they understand the benefits and features of corrective lenses including eyeglasses and contacts.

Our optometriststake the time to explain the results of your eye exam, describe your options and listen to your eye care needs. Because maintaining good eye health is an ongoing partnership, we encourage you to ask questions and share your health information, which could be vital to monitoring, diagnosing and treating potential vision problems.

Dr. Susan Whaley graduated magna cum laude from the University of Central Florida and the University of Houston College of Optometry. She completed her externship training at Bay Pines Veterans Administration Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida and at the Eye Foundation in Orlando, Florida. She is actively involved in clinical research regarding the development of new contact lenses and solutions and serves as a Principle Investigator for Vistakon, Alcon, CooperVision and Bausch & Lomb. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, an organization dedicated to the highest standards of optometric practice through clinical care, education, and research. She is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, a designation currently held by approximately five percent of optometrists nationwide. She is a member of the Northwest Florida Optometric Association, the Florida Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, and Wildwood Church. She also serves as President of the NWFOA. Dr. Whaley and her husband, Brian, have two children.

Dr. Elizabeth Vanderpool Strickland started her college career at the University of Central Florida and earned her Bachelors of Visual Science as well as her Doctor of Optometry degrees from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry. Her externship training included a rotation in contact lenses at The Eye Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida and a rotation in ocular disease at the Fox Medical Center in Kendall, Florida. She also completed her internship training with rotations focused on contact lenses, disease, and pediatrics at the NSU Eye Institute in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She is a member of the Northwest Florida Optometric Association, the Florida Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association, as well as the Tallahassee Chapter of Moms Run This Town, the Gulf Winds Track Club, and the Florida Trail Association.

Dr. Brett-Ashley Palmer graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia and earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago. She completed a residency in Low Vision and Primary Care at the Lake City Veterans Hospital where she had extensive training in ocular disease, traumatic brain injury, and vision therapy in addition to low vision examinations.

Her externship sites included Illinois Eye Institute for advanced care in corneal and retinal disease, Hickam Air Force Base for contact lens advancements, and Merrimack Vision Care for pediatric and binocular vision.

Dr. Palmer has had work accepted for presentation by the American Academy of Optometry and Southern Educational Congress of Optometry. She has given continuing education presentations on her areas of interest and won the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center’s award for her work on Charles Bonnet Syndrome.

Dr. Palmer is originally from Tallahassee and has returned home with her husband, Dr. Dillon Batalo, to practice close to her family.